IP Library Granted Patent US 11,507,217
Granted Patent B2
US 11,507,217 · App. 17/141,972 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Touch-based control device

Inventors: Aaron T. Emigh (San Mateo, CA); Steven Stanek (San Mateo, CA); Brian Cardanha (San Mateo, CA); Bozhi See (San Mateo, CA); Iris Yan (San Mateo, CA); Gaurav Hardikar (San Mateo, CA)
Assignee: Brilliant Home Technology, Inc.
G06F3/0416G05B15/02G06F3/0443H03K17/9618F21V23/0485
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,507,217
App. No.
17/141,972
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A touch-based control device can include an exterior panel that includes a groove region and a surrounding region, one or more touch sensors for detecting touch inputs performed anywhere on a substantial portion of the exterior panel, and a sensing module comprising one or more processors to detect, via the one or more touch sensors, touch inputs performed by a user on the exterior panel. The sensing module can interpret the touch input based on at least one of (i) a region where the touch input occurred, or (ii) a type of the touch input, and control a connected device based on the interpreted touch input.

Claims (25)

1. A control device comprising:

an exterior panel comprising multiple regions, including a groove region and a surrounding region that surrounds the groove region;

a control module including a sensor layer comprising one or more sensors to detect touch inputs performed on the groove region and the surrounding region of the exterior panel, the control module being configured to:

detect, using the one or more sensors of the sensor layer, a touch input performed by a user on the exterior panel;

based on a confidence level of the detected touch input being below a threshold, execute conflict resolution logic to interpret the touch input as one of a tap gesture or a slide gesture; and

based at least in part on a type of the detected touch input being one of the tap gesture or the slide gesture as interpreted by the conflict resolution logic, control a set of devices based on the interpreted touch input.

2. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control module further interprets the touch input as being at least one of (i) a range value command, (ii) a device selection command, (iii) a mode selection input, or (ii) an on/off command.

3. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the set of devices includes one or more of a lighting device, a ceiling fan, a thermostat, an appliance, or a media device.

4. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to interpret the touch input as a range value command to set a range value of at least one connected device of the set of connected devices when the touch input is detected in the groove region.

5. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the range value command sets an output level for at least one connected device of the set of connected devices.

6. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to interpret the touch input as an on/off command for at least one connected device when the touch input is detected as a tap gesture that occurs in the surrounding region.

7. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to interpret the touch input based on one or more attributes of the touch input.

8. The control device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more attributes include a direction of the touch input.

9. The control device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more attributes include at least one of a slide direction or a distance of the touch input.

10. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured in part by user input to interpret the touch input.

11. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the exterior panel further includes a left region and a right region, and wherein the control module implements a first logic to interpret input received on the left region, and a second logic to interpret input received the right region.

12. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control module detects a user input performed at any location of the exterior panel.

13. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control device is wall-mountable.

14. A base assembly for a wall-mountable control device, the base assembly comprising:

a control module including a sensor layer comprising one or more sensors, the control module being operable to control a set of devices;

wherein the control module is structured to position the sensor layer within a threshold proximity to an exterior panel that is to be assembled onto the base assembly upon installation of the base assembly;

wherein the control module is configured to:

detect, using the one or more sensors of the sensor layer, a touch input performed by a user on the exterior panel;

based on a confidence level of the detected touch input being below a threshold, execute conflict resolution logic to interpret the touch input as one of a tap gesture or a slide gesture; and

based at least in part on a type of the detected touch input being one of the tap gesture or the slide gesture as interpreted by the conflict resolution logic, control a set of devices based on the interpreted touch input.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2025
From: BRILLIANT HOME TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: BRILLIANT LIQUIDATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 070225/0098 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2025
From: BRILLIANT LIQUIDATION, LLC
To: BRILLIANT NEXTGEN INC.
Reel/Frame 070225/0396 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2022
From: BRILLIANT HOME TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: EASTWARD FUND MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 060068/0319 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2021
From: EMIGH, AARON T.; STANEK, STEVEN; CARDANHA, BRIAN; SEE, BOZHI; YAN, IRIS; HARDIKAR, GAURAV
To: BRILLIANT HOME TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057433/0584 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62957302 · Jan 5, 2020
Provisional Application 62957294 · Jan 5, 2020
Provisional Application 62957297 · Jan 5, 2020
Related Publication 20210208723A1 · Jul 8, 2021
Cited By (3)
US 12,463,861 US 12,524,097 US 12,562,936